"Battle, Baby, Bird: New Works by Student Playwrights" is a big deal. There are very few colleges that would ever take a main stage production and devote it to new works by current students. There are very few professors who would treat those student playwrights like professionals. But DePauw is doing it. Steve Timm is doing it. And it has been the best experience of my college career.
Yes, every year DePauw does the Playwrights Festival, which, although fun, tends to be pretty casual. The festival is important; I've participated every year. But this is not the festival. This is different. This is bigger. Much bigger.
Not only is "Battle, Baby, Bird" the first main stage show of the semester, it's also going to be filmed by D3TV and the three plays are each going to be made into live TV recordings. I know nothing about TV. I'll say that right now. I basically just nod my head and agree with what Kaitlin Klose tells me. I do know, however, that when the theatre department flies in an alumna from Belgium to advise us, it is a big deal.
But it is not a big deal in that it is overly serious or boring or dry. There are sword fights, break-ups, dead birds and, dare I say it, pee in a jar. So, when you're thinking about how to waste that couple of hours before it's appropriate to go out on Friday or Saturday, or how to procrastinate on Thursday or Sunday, there's a huge amount of students who have made this show their life for the past few months. And it's $3. Come on, that's like one gin and tonic at the Duck. If I see you there after the show, I'll buy you one.
Elise Lockwood '14